The present invention relates generally to blade computer server systems, and more particularly, to methods and systems for dynamically managing the power supplies in a blade computer server system.
Blade server systems are modular designs and typically have between six and sixteen blade slots. Each blade can be a processor, a memory sub-system, a storage blade, a network access or management sub-system or any one or more of any other sort of sub-systems needed for the server. A storage blade can contain one or more hard disk drive or equivalent mass storage media (magnetic media, optical media, non-volatile read/writeable memory devices, etc.). As a result, the power demands of each of the blades can vary depending upon the functions of and the performance demands on that blade.
The blade server systems typically have dual power supply units to provide redundancy in case the power supply failure. By way of example a typical blade server system could include two 4500 watt power supply units when the projected power demands of the blade server is less than 4500 watts.
The power ratings for each blade is typically based on the maximum power demands for the blade. However, each of the blades rarely is actually drawing full maximum power. Unfortunately, the power supply units are generally not sized to meet the simultaneous maximum power ratings of all blades and as a result the power supply allocations are limited to ensure the power demands of the blades does not exceed the power supply capacity of the power supply units. The typical power supply allocation is limited to allowing a blade to power on or not.
What is needed is a more flexible and dynamic management of the power allocations of the power supply units. The more flexible and dynamic management of the power allocations allows more of the blades to be powered on and thus increases the capability of the blade server system, without requiring oversized, less efficient power supply units.